Transcript The Empires of Islam

The Empires of Islam
Case studies during the age of Global
Interdependence (1500-1800)
Islamic Empires
Began as “warrior principalities”
Expanded at varying rates with varying
success.
As they grow they evolved across the
five themes
The Ottoman Turks
Osman Bey: the
founder of the
Empire
1289-1923
Ghazi: warriors for
the faith
Ottoman Military Might
Professional light
and heavy cavalry
Devshirme system:
training of a highly
capable military
bureacracy
Janissaries
Janissaries
Known for valor,
discipline, and
courage.
Janissaries were
amongst the first
groups to open their
ranks to new
technology such as
gunpowder.
Siege of Constantinople
Nowhere was the
new technology
more evident than in
the Ottoman
destruction of
Constantinople
Ottoman Expansion
Under Selim the
Grim they occupied
Egypt and Syria.
Under Sulieyman
they expanded into
the old Abbasid
domain and even
into Europe
Battle of Mohacs
Gunpowder to the Seas
Under Suleyman they became a major
naval power. Victories such as Lepanta
and Preveza were common.
The Safavids
Shah Ismail
An empire won
Twelver Shiism
Qizilbash
Military movement.
“Invincible
movement”
Persecuted by
Ottomans
Chaldiran
Chaldiran saw great
damage done to the
Safavid state…it
wasn’t destroyed,
but it was bad.
Saved by Abbas the
Great
Abbas the Great
Moved capital to
Isfahan (artistic and
cultural revolution)
Reformed
government and
military.
Allied with Europe
against Ottomans.
The Mughal Age
16th –18th Century India
An apex of Indian cultural
traditions
Zahir ud din Muhammad
Babur
Muslim emperor
from Central Asia
who used “leapfrog”
tactics to conquer
Northern India and
crush the Dehli
Sultanate.
Babur
Nearly always
possessed smaller
forces.
Extraordinary
lineage.
Life devoted to
conquest.
Humayun
“intelligent but lazy”
Lacked his fathers
“will”.
Forced to flee to
Persia in 1540.
A key turning point.
Reconquered Dehli
with Persian help.
Akbar the Great
Born during
Humayun’s exile in
Persia.
Extremely
intelligent and
inquisitive.
“A monarch should
be ever intent on
conquest, otherwise
his neighbors rise in
arms against him.”
Akbar
Created the greatest
Indian empire since
the Mauryan dynasty.
Gave the impression
of centralization, but
it was actually
decentralized
kingdoms under the
sheer force and
dominance of his
persona.
Gunpowder Empire
Like the Ottomans
they used artillery to
consolidate their
political control.
Indo-Muslim Civilization
Remarkable
tolerance for Hindus
rolling back
centuries of
oppression.
Raised a Muslim but
his religious
curiosity knew no
bounds.
Alienated orthodox
Muslims with his
Din-I-Ilahi
The syncretic belief
system advocated
by Akbar. A belief
that employed
Judeo-Christian,
Muslim, Hindu, and
Zoroastrian
traditions.
Difficult to define
Based on imperial
divinity
Aroused deep
hostility amongst
Muslims.
Akbar and Hindus
Allowed Hindus
opportunities to
participate.
Abolished Jizya
Muslims followed
Sharia
Hindus follwed
Dharmashastra
Fatehpur Sikri
Jahangir
Talented but
disinterested.
Only interested in “a
bottle of wine and a
piece of meat to
make merry”.
Persian born
empress Nur Jahan
was the real power.
Shah Jahan
A time of poverty
during the 1640’s.
Yet he continued
conquest and
expensive building
projects.
Taj Mahal
His beloved wife
Mumtaz Muhal died
during childbirth for
child 13.
He built a building
of unparralled
beauty for her final
resting place.
Plans were made for
him to build a
similar palace of
black marble across
the river from the
Taj Mahal.
20,000 masons
working decades
completed the
project.
His son Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
A man of
uncompromising
principles.
A devout Muslim
Attacked many
Hindu traditions
Restored Islamic
dominance in Indian
daily life.
English in India
Entered for good
after their victory
over a shell of the
former Mughal
forces at the Battle
of Plassey.
3,000 defeated
30,000.
English impacts
Disaster on Indian
economy and industry.
Destroyed Mughal
Empire.
Ended Indian sovereignty
until 1947.
Attempted to “introduce”
English methods.
Despite indigenous
rebellions such as that of
Haidar Ali, England ruled
India for 3 centuries.
Empires in Decline
Ineffective Rulers
Religious tensions
Rising Conservatisim
Economic and technological innovation
in decline due to insular cultures
Europe influence
Conflicts with Europe